Organic farming: A sustainable approach to food production

Organic farming describes a form of agriculture that minimizes or completely excludes the use of artificial inputs (e.g., fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, feed additives, etc.). For the best possible plant protection, organic farming relies on crop rotations, crop residues, animal manures, off-farm organic waste, mineral-grade rock additions, and biological nutrient mobilization systems [5]. Reducing the trade-offs between production and long-term sustainability is agriculture’s biggest challenge. Analyzing organic agriculture, which is a specific set of farming techniques that prioritize ecological sustainability, is, therefore, fascinating. One way to describe organic agriculture is as being more integrated into ecosystem activities and less dependent on off-farm inputs [12].

Because organic farming increases the amount of organic matter in the soil and reduces the exploitation of nutrients, it can serve as a foundation for further adaptation and mitigation techniques. Because of this, organic farming soils retain and absorb more water than conventional agricultural soils. Additionally, by combining a wide range of farming systems, organic farming expands the range of revenue streams and flexibility to address the adverse consequences of climate change and variability, such as changed rainfall patterns. Farmers are less vulnerable to climate change and variability due to this [9]. To maximize reliance on renewable resources derived from farms and the management of ecological and biological processes and interactions, organic farming seeks to create integrated, compassionate, environmentally, and economically sustainable production systems that offer adequate nutrition for crops, livestock, and humans, protection from pests and diseases, and a fair return on investment in other resources  [11].

Figure 1: Concept of organic farming [16]

Principles/Methods of Organic Farming

Organic farming is based on four principles established by the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movement (IFOAM): Health, Ecology, Impartiality, and Care [2].

Some of the methods of organic farming include:

• Crop rotation: Rotating different crops on the same field to enhance soil fertility, prevent pest and disease accumulation, and increase production.
• Crop diversification: Cultivation of different crops, mostly in mixtures or intercropping, to increase diversity, support resilience, and promote resource use efficiency.
• Organic inputs: Utilizing organic compost, manure, green manure, or mulch helps to improve soil structure, nutrient circulation, and water retention.
• Biological pest and disease control: Using natural enemies, resistant varieties, or cultural practices to control the damage of pests on crops
• Animal welfare: By allowing animals to be treated humanely, have free access to natural feed and outdoor areas and not undergo unnecessary stress or interventions [8].

Benefits of organic farming

When compared to conventional farming, organic farming has many benefits for human health and the environment. Some of these benefits include:

• Promotes Biodiversity: It sustains more species and higher numbers of plants, animals and microorganisms on the soil and the ground. Biodiversity is critical for the maintenance of ecosystem functions and services, which include pollination, pest control, nutrient cycling, and water regulation [14].
• Improves the quality of soil: It increases soil organic carbon and soil carbon stocks and enhances soil microbial activity. Soil organic carbon is a major indicator of soil health as it affects soil structure, water-holding capacity, nutrient availability and erosion resistance. Also, soil carbon stocks can aid in climate change mitigation by storing carbon, thereby preventing the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere [10].
• Reduces exposure to harmful chemicals: It can help prevent exposure to pesticides and other chemicals, as it limits the use of synthetic substances and mostly relies on natural or approved inputs. Chemicals like pesticides and others can affect human health negatively such as disrupting the endocrine system, cognitive ability impairment, and increased risks for cancer and other diseases. The potential benefit of organic farming in reducing the emergence of antibiotic resistance is that no antibiotics are allowed in animal production. The problem of antibiotic resistance is a huge public health problem because the resistance to the existing drugs reduces their effectiveness and increases the risk of infections and mortality [3].
• Improve nutritional quality: The nutritional value of organic farming is higher, as organic crops and animal products, such as phenolic antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins, can be enriched by this technique. These compounds have beneficial effects on human health, such as reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and cardiovascular disease [10].
• Increase profitability: It is even more profitable than conventional farming because it can reduce production costs and, therefore, raise the market price of organic products. The use of organic farming can lower the costs of input products (e.g., fertilizers and pesticides) and lessen the dependence on external supply systems. It can also increase farmers’ income, because many organic products often have more expensive and higher prices than normal products, based on consumers’ preferences and certification programs [14].

Challenges in organic farming

Organic farming aims to produce foods that are nutritious, eco-friendly, and socially acceptable. Nonetheless, organic farming comes with various constraints related to productivity, profitability, and sustainability. Some of these challenges are:

• Productivity: Organic farming is less productive than conventional farming because the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and other inputs is restricted. The need for more workforce and management skills in organic farming is another limitation that affects the efficiency and profitability levels [12].
• Biodiversity: Organic farming advances biodiversity by offering habitats for diverse species, decreasing soil erosion, and avoiding the use of harmful chemicals. Additionally, organic farming also can harm biodiversity including land use change, competition for resources, and the introduction of invasive species. Organic farming requires a larger land area to produce the same amount of food as conventional farming and this can decrease the natural habitats.
• Climate change: Organic farming helps reduce the impact of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing carbon sequestration in the soil and increasing the resilience to severe weather events. Nevertheless, organic farming can also lead to climate change by emitting nitrous oxide from organic fertilizers, enhanced methane emissions from livestock, and having a lower energy efficiency compared with conventional farming. It is also susceptible to the impacts of climate change, including drought, floods, pests, and diseases [13].
• Socio-economic: Socio-economic benefits of organic farming include enhancing food security, nutrition, health, and the livelihood of the farmer and consumers. It can help generate market opportunities as well as premium prices through the increase in consumer demand. Nevertheless, organic farming can also be confronted by social and economic obstacles, including inaccessibility of inputs, credit facilities, infrastructure, information and certification. Organic farming is also subject to market challenges, including volatile price fluctuations, competitiveness, and fraud [6].

Innovation in organic farming

Organic farming is enhanced and made sustainable through new ideas and innovations. They are:

• Precision agriculture: This technology uses novel technologies like sensors, drones, satellites, and artificial intelligence to track and manage the production of crops to achieve precision and efficiency. Precision agriculture provides opportunities for organic farmers to improve the efficiencies of the inputs, boost yield and quality, and alleviate the environmental impacts of organic production [15].
• Biotechnology: This is the application of biological processes, organisms, or systems to bring about profitable goods or services. Biotechnology can assist organic farmers with increasing genetic diversity and crop resistance, ensuring soil health and fertility, and producing new bio-based products like biofuels, bioplastics, and biopharmaceuticals.
• Biochar: It is a carbonaceous substance produced from the pyrolysis of biomass, for example, leftover crops, wood or manure. Organic farmers can benefit from biochar in the improvement of soil quality and fertility, increasing the soil water-holding capacity, reducing greenhouse gases from soils and reducing environmental stress on plants [1].
• Biofertilizers: They are known as symbiotic microbes, including fungi, bacteria or algae, and thus, help plants ingest nutrients more effectively. Biofertilizers allow organic farmers to eliminate their dependence on chemical fertilizers, make the crops more productive and of higher quality, and promote the growth and diversity of the soil microorganism community [7].
• Biopesticides: These are the natural products or organisms that can control or prevent pests and diseases that compromise crop production. Biopesticides can be used by organic farmers to reduce the level of synthetic pesticides and promote the persistence of beneficial insects and animals, therefore, guaranteeing human health and ecosystem safety [4].

Conclusion

Organic farming is an eco-sustainable farming that is based on respect for the natural environment and for the social well-being of the farmers and consumers. Organic farming can yield multiple advantages such as healthier land more fertile soil, the low release of greenhouse gases and energy consumption, enhanced biodiversity, and animal welfare, and improved human health and nutrition. On the other hand, organic farming also faces various issues, including the struggle of getting high yields and quality, competing with conventional farming, and adapting to new climates and market conditions. As a result, organic farming requires continuous innovation and progress to fulfil the human need for food security and sustainability currently and in the future.

REFERENCES

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